Wednesday, March 4, 2009

Artifacts and the Temple 2: Miniature Shrines




A number of miniature shrines have been found in the Syria and Palestine regions. These were probably for small provincial shrines or private dwellings. Many scholars think that small clay images of gods were placed in these shrines for devotions. The facade of these miniature shrines probably is an imitation of full-scale temples. The two columns flanking the shrine are probably as close to an image of the twin bronze columns Jachin and Boaz which flanked the main door to Solomon's Temple (1 Kgs 7:21).

The object photographed here is in the Louvre.

2 comments:

Anonymous said...

Is there any indication whether this shrine had a single god or a pair of gods?

Grandpa Enoch said...

Not for this particular shrine. There are, however, some miniature shrines which have clay dividing lines which indicate there were probably two statues.